Cigar lighter



J. SNKO CIGAR LIGHTER March 15, 1938 Filed June ll, 1935 UZO .M Off@ Cai Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i9 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar lighters of the type used in automobiles, and more particularly to the kind known as the wireless type because a separable plug which is first heated in a socket may then be removed from the socket for lighting a cigar, cigarette or pipe.

In the form of this invention chosen for illustration, there is provided a tubular socket member having xed therein an outwardly opening cup member at the base of which, and insulated therefrom, is a suitable contact member connected to a wire extending out through the rear end of the socket. Extending into the front end of the socket is the plug member which includes a Contact ring engaging said cup member and pressing against a spring in said plug which normally keeps said plug out of contact with said contact member. I'he plug also carries a heating element which is connected to said ring and which makes contact with said contact member when the plug is pressed inwardly against the spring. The handle of the plug member is translucent and so arranged that when the ignition element becomes incandescent the handle will glow, the glow preferably being concentrated around its rim.

Cigar lighters of the general type in which a plug carrying the ignition element is removed after the ignition element has been heated, have been known for some time, and in fact one oi these is disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 724,849, of which the present lighter may be considered an improvement.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-s vide a cigar lighter of simplified and yet thoroughly dependable construction.

It is a further object to provide a cigar lighter in which both the handle and the heating unit may be very easily removed for replacement or repair.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a translucent handle having its surface which faces the ignition element so shaped as to direct the rays of light to the shoulder at the base of the handle.

Another object is to have both of the necessary contacts made by positive pressure, as distinguished from the mere sliding contact heretofore common.

Other advantages and objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description,`

taken with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the form of the invention chosen for illustration, showing its (Cl. 21S-32) relationship to the dashboard of an' automobile, or other supporting member.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. l, the connecting wire being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the lighter shown in Fig. i.

Fig. i is a section substantially along the line t-d of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section substantially along the line w 5 5 oi Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section substantially along the line @-6 oi Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the contact insert shown in Fig. 3; and 15 Fig. 8 is a. sectional view of a modied shape ci handle.

Although this invention may take numerous forms, only one has been chosen for illustration, together with a slightly modiiied handle therefor. in this forni there is provided a tubular socket member lli which, at its front and open end, is provided with a flange l2 which may rest against the dashboard i3 of an automobile or other support through which the socket mem- 25 ber it extends. To hold the socket member in place there is a iJ-shaped clamp i4 which is provided at its end with an aperture through which a threaded bushing i6 on the back end of the socket li extends. A suitable nut l'l screws 30 on the bushing i6 against a lock washer I8 bearing on the U-shaped clamp' I4. Thus it is seen that tightening the nut l'l tightens the flange l2 against the iront of the dashboard i3 and likewise tightens the clamp l@ against the back of the dashboard. It should be understood, of course, that the socket il may be secured in place in any other manner that might be desired. The bushing i6 may be secured to the socket Il in any suitable manner, as by having a reduced neck portion extending therethrough and turned over, as illustrated in Fig. 3. A steel disc 2| with a raised rim 20 lays in the back end I9 of the socket Il, and is rigidly secured in position by crimping the top oi the bushing IB. 'I'his disc 45 provides a slightly resilient mounting for and insures a positive engagement with one of the terminal members, as will be hereinafter explained.

Located within the socket ll and at its inner 50 end is a suitable contact unit, such as is shown in Fig. 7. This unit is preferably made up of an inner cup 22, an outer cup 23 and a contact element or cup 24, all secured together by a terminal bushing 26 which has a reduced neck portion 55 turned over as shown. The terminal bushing 26 and the contact element 24 should both be insulated from the cups 22 and 23, as by suitable layers of mica 21 as illustrated. There may also be a washer of insulation between the discs 21 of mica to center the bushing 26 with respect to the cups, but this is not necessary since the mica discs themselves perform this function. The inner cup 22 is preferably provided with slots 28 through which are bent tongues 29 cut from the socket Il. A wire, preferably made up of the strands 3|, is secured within the bushing 26, as by soldering or crimping, and extends through thebushing |6, being insulated therefrom by the usual insulating covering 32 on the wire. The cup 22 not only serves-as a mounting for cup 23 by receiving tongues 29 in slots 28, but also serves to space the cup 23 away from the far end of the socket to permit the use of an elongated bushing 26 to carry a substantial length of wire 3| and serve as a, housing for the bushing.

In assembling the socket unit the wire is first attached to the contact unit shown in Fig. 'l and then threaded through the socket and bushing |6 and drawn out until the cup 22 strikes the reinforcing disc 2|. The tongues 29 are then bent over, passing inwardly through the slots 28, thus securing the contact unit in place. By shaping the washer 2|, as shown, the cup 22 is positioned in the best location for coaction with the tongues 29, and a slight degree of resiliency prevents any looseness. Furthermore, a bearing surface for the cup 22 is formed by rim 20 perpendicular to the side walls of socket thus avoiding difliculties due to the rounded inner corners of the socket The outer cup 23 is preferably provided with holes 33 which are alined with holes 34 in the socket thereby ventilating the inside of the outer cup 23 even when the plug is in place.

The plug includes the handle 36 which may be made of glass or any other material, preferably translucent so that it will glow when the heating element is heated to incandescence. A sleeve 31 of insulating material is preferably screwed onto the handle 36, and a support member 38 is screwed into the other end of the sleeve 31. The plug is retained in the socket in any suitable manner as by a leaf spring 35 formed as a tongue cut from the socket and bearing on the side of the sleeve 31. comprise a rim having formed integrally therewith the spokes 39 at the center of which 1s formed an elongated hub 4|. To this support member 38 is secured a heating unit 42 which is preferably of a standard form so that it may be readily interchanged with other units. This heating unit may desirably include an inwardly facing cup 43 and a helix of resistance wire or ribbon 44 secured at one end to the sleeve 43 and at the other end to the head 46 of a bolt 41 which passes through the cup 43 and the hub 4|. The cup 43 has a suitable aperture 48 in its base which may be the space between spokes 58 forming the base. A collar 45 rests on the center support for the spokes 50 to carry the head 46 of the bolt 41 within the cup. The heating element 44 is electrically insulated from the base of the cup 43 including the said spokes, as by a sheet of mica 49 cut to register with the spokes and fitting under the collar 45. On the back of the base of the cup 43 is another insulating washer which may be formed of mica, against which there is a nut 52 which clamps the cup 43 against the heating element 44. Another nut 53, also The support member 38 mayl screwed on the bolt 41, in turn clamps the nut 52 against the hub 4|, thereby rigidly mounting the cup 43 on the support member.

Carried between the support member 38 and the cup 43 is a contact ring 56 which may be guided by a cylindrically shaped flange 51 extending forwardly between the inner and outer edges of the ring, and sliding inside of the rim of support member 38. Between the ring 56 and the spokes 39 is positioned a spring 58 under compression which tends to separate the support member from the contact ring 56 pushing the contact ring against the cup 43.

` As the plug is inserted in the socket the contact ring 56 engages the outer cup 23 of the contact unit fixed at the inner end of the socket The spring 58 normally prevents further inward movement of the rest of the plug, but when suicient pressure is exerted on the handle 36 to overcome the force of the spring 58, all of the plug vexcept the contact ring 48 is moved further inwardly until the cup 43 contacts the fixed contact element 24. A circuit is thus completed from the wire 3| through the bushing 26, the contact element 24, the cup'43, the heating element 44, bolt 41, spokes 39, sleeve 38 or spring 58, to the contact ring 5|, and from thence through the outer cup 23 and the inner cup 22 to the reinforcing disc 2| and to ground through the bushing I6 and the clamp |4 or the socket Il and flange |2.

It should be noted that contact ring 56 is preferably spaced from the walls of socket so that there can be no chance of its not seating properly on the cup 23. It therefore contacts the cup 23 with positive pressure exerted by the spring 58, this pressure being at itsmaximum when the spring is compressed by moving the plug to heating position. The cup 23 may also be spaced from the side walls of socket or it may be crimped, as at 60, to furnish a dependable seat for the contact ring 56 even though it is of smaller diameter than the bore of the socket By making the support member 38 likewise smaller in diameter than the interior of socket the sliding of metal on metal is prevented, the sleeve 31 being made of a relatively soft though rigid material such as that known commercially as bakelite. This' results in an unusually smooth action in sliding the plug into the socket.

The handle 36 is preferably made entirely of' a translucent material, though if preferred' only certain portions thereof may be translucent. In any event, it is preferred that the peripheral portion at the base be translucent and so shaped as to concentrate along the annular shoulder 6| most of the light entering it from the ignition element. The advantage of this is that even though a person hide the main part of the handle with his hand, some portion of the annular shoulder 6| is almost certain to be visible. This shoulder in fact comprises an annular flange at the base of the handle which glows and which is always in view.

Two preferred shapes for the inner faces of the handle are illustrated. In4 both of these forms it will be noted that the peripheral portion 62 of the inner face is positioned to face substantially directly toward the ignition element, with the result that nearly all the light striking this portion passes through the surface and continues on to the shoulder 6|, as indicated by the dotted line a in Fig. 3. In this form it is postion 62 thereof, be smooth or polished. And this aiiitaoa portion may be considered a lens surface for focusing'the rays on the shoulder 6 I. The curvature of this surface may be continued further if preferred. The more central portion 63 of the inner surface in Fig. 3 is of conical shape and inclined at such an angle that a large portion of the light striking this surface, as indicated by the line b, is reflected thereby to strike the corresponding portion of this surface on the opposite side thereofwhere a portion of the light striking this surface passes therethrough and is refracted by the translucent material so as to strike the lower portion of the shoulder 6 I. Where the light rst strikes the surface 63 along the line b, that portion of it which enters the surface is sharply deflected by refraction so that it also reaches the shoulder 6I rather than passing out through the far end of the handle. The lines a and b have not been drawn with the idea of representing the course of light exactly, but merely to illustrate the general principle. It should be understood, of course, that the degree of refraction will depend upon the material of which the handle 36 is made.

In the Fig. 8 form especially, it may be preferred that the concave portion 63 of the inner surface be roughed, as by grinding. In this event, the portion 62 may be reduced to bring the surface 63 closer to the shoulder 6|, this being desirable when the surface 63 acts as a secondary light source.

It may be observed that the space between the sleeve 38 and the hub 4I forms an annular passage which directs most of the light from the ignition element toward the outer portion of the inner surface. The result is that even if this outer portion of the surface is perpendicular to the axis of the socket Il, the shoulder 6I will be fairly well illuminated. This alone would make a very desirable lighter and may be considered as within the scope of this invention, but this invention goes further and contemplates causing this annular shoulder to glow with even greater brilliance. It should be understood, of course, that some light striking the handle 36 at a point nearer the center than the line b will pass therethrough and-cause the far end of the handle to glow slightly so that if in some unusual manner the entire shoulder 6| is covered up, the glow on the handle may still be seen.

It is to be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member having a base contact and a stop contact within said socket; a plug removably held within said socket and including a support member, a heater unit secured thereto and including a cup spaced forwardly therefrom, a positioning ring for engaging said stop and movable relatively to said plug between said support member and said cup, a spring engaging said ring and pushing the rest of the plug rearwardly therefrom and away from said contact, and a flange formed on said ring and extending rearwardly therefrom, for guiding it by a sliding engagement with said support member, said plug contacting said base contact as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

2. A cigar lighter including a socket member having a base contact and a stop contact within said socket; a plug removably held within said socket and including a support member, a heater secured thereto, a positioning ring for engaging said stop contact and movable lengthwise relatively to said support member, a spring engaging said ring and pushing the rest of the plug rearwardly therefrom and away from said contact, and a flange formed on said ring and extending rearwardly therefrom, for guiding it by a sliding engagement with said support member, said plug contacting said base contact as it is pushed forward. against the tension of said spring.

3. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member provided with a base-contact and a stop contact in said socket, said member being adapted for insertion into the dashboard of a car; a plug removably held in said socket and including a support member, a heater unit secured thereto and including a cup spaced forwardly therefrom,

a positioning ring for engaging said stop and movable relatively to said plug between said support member and said cup, a spring engaging said ring and pushing the rest of the plug rearwardly therefrom and away from said contact, said plug contacting said base contact as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

4. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member provided with a base-contact and a stop contact within said socket; a plug removably held within said socket and including a support member, a heater unit secured thereto, a positioning ring for engaging said stop and movable lengthwise relatively to said support member, a spring engaging s aid ring and pushing the rest of the plug rearwardly therefrom, said plug contacting said base contact as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

5. A cigar lighter including a socket member provided with a base-contact and a stop contact within said socket; a plug removably held in said socket and including a support member having a rim and a transverse portion, .a heater unit secured to said transverse portion and including a cup spaced forwardly from said rim, a positioning ring for engaging said stop and movable relatively to said plug between said support member and said cup, a spring compressed between said ring and said transverse portion and pushing the rest of the plug rearwardly from said ring and away from said contact portion, and a flange formed on said ring and extending rearwardly therefrom for guiding it by a sliding engagement with said support member, said plug contacting said base Contact as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

6. A. cigar lighter including a socket, a contact and a stop in said socket; a plug removably held in said socket and including a support member having a rim and a transverse portion, a heater unit secured to said transverse portion and including a cup spaced forwardly from said rim, a positioning ring for engaging said stop and movable relatively to said plug between said support member and said cup, a spring compressed between said ring and said transverse portion and pushing the rest of the plug' rearwardly from said ring and away from said contact portion; said plug contacting said contact as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

7. A plug for a cigar lighter comprising a handle, a sleeve of insulating material secured to said handle, a support member secured to said sleeve and including a rim and a hub connected togehet by spokes, a heating unit secured rigidly to said hub, and -a contact ring guided by said rim and it. in its movement by said ignition unit, and

a spring urging said contact ring against said ignition unit.

8. A plug for a cigar lighter comprising a handle, a sleeve of insulating material secured to said handle, a support member secured to said sleeve and including a rim and a hub connected together by spokes, a heating unit secured rigidly to said hub, and a contact ring guided by said rim and limited in its movement by said ignition unit, and a spring compressed between said spokes and said contact ring urging said contact ring against said ignition unit.

9. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member, a contact unit within said socket member including an inwardly facing cupi'nember, an outwardly facing contact element mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, and a terminal bushing mounted on the inside of said cup member and insulated therefrom, but connected to said contact element, and an elongated conduit bushing in the inner end of said socket through l which is passed an insulated wire connected to said terminal bushing, and an outwardly facing cup member carried by and rigidly secured to said inwardly facing cup member and connected t said socket member.

10. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member, a Contact unit within said socket member including an inwardly facing cup member, an outwardly facing contact element mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, and a terminal bushing mounted on the inside of said cup member and insulated therefrom, but connected to said contact element, and an elongated conduit bushing in the inner end of said socket through which is passed an insulated wire connected to said terminal bushing, and an outwardly facing cup member carried by said inwardly -facing cup member and connected to said socket member, and a plug removably carried by said socket member and including a heating elementja contact element therefor alined with said first named contact element, and a contact ring engaging said outwardly facing cup and bearing againstene end of a spring, the other end of which bears against said plug to normally space said contact elements apart.

11. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member, a dished end plate within said socket engaging the central portion of the rear end of the socket and spaced forwardly therefrom at its periphery, a contact unit within said socket member including an inwardly facing cup member engaging the periphery of said end plate, an outwardly facing contact element mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, and a terminal bush# ing mounted on the inside of said cup member and insulated therefrom, but connected to said contact element, and an elongated conduit bushing in the inner end of said socket through which is passed an insulated Wire connected to said terminal bushing, and an outwardly facing cup member carried by and rigidly secured to said inwardly facing cup member and connected to said socket member.

12. A cigar lighter including a tubular socket member, a dished end plate within said socket engaging the central portion of the rear end of the socket and spaced forwardly therefrom at its periphery, a contact unit within said socket member including an inwardly facing cup member engaging the periphery of said end plate, an outwardly facing contact element mounted thereon and insulated therefrom, and a terminal bushing mounted on the inside of said cup member,

and a tongue formed on said socket member and bent around a. portion of said cup member to hold it against said end plate.

13. A cigar lighter including a metal socket, a plug comprising a handle, a sleeve of insulating material secured to said handle, a support member secured to said sleeve and including a rim and a hub connected together by spokes, an ignition unit secured rigidly to said hub, and a contact ring guided by said rim and limited in its movement by said ignition unit, and a spring urging said contact ring against said ignition unit, said rim, ring and ignition unit being of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of said socket and the external diameter of said sleeve to prevent metal rubbing on metal as said plug is slid into said socket.

i4. A heater unit, adapted to be mounted on a removable handle member and inserted into a socket member having a base terminal and insulated therefrom an inwardly extending Wallterminal, comprising: a heating coil provided with a rearwardly extending conducting stern and a base-terminal contacting member; a collar having an inwardly extending fiange forming a seat, and having an outwardly extending fiange adapted to contact the wall-terminal of the socket; a conducting compression spring encircling said stem and resting in said seat; and a conducting support member forming a seat for the outer end of said spring, said member being connected to the stem and provided with connecting means for mounting on the handle member.

15. A device as specified in claim 14, in which the collar is slidably mounted in the support member, and the support member is secured to the stem against rotation with respect thereto.

16. A device as specified in claim 14, in which the stem is threaded at its outer end and provided with a fiat side adapted to slide into non-rotatable engagement with an opening in the conducting support member, and a nut is provided to draw the stem through the said opening and partially compress the spring.

17. A heater unit, adapted to be mounted on a removable handle member and inserted into a socket member having a base terminal and insulated therefrom an inwardly extending wallterminal, comprising: a heating member having a cup adapted to contact the base-terminal when thrust inwardly, a resistance coil having one end connected to said cup and thel remainder of said coil insulated therefrom, and a rearwardly extending conducting stem connected to the opposite end of said coil and fixedly mounted on and insulated from the cup; a collar having an inwardly extending fiange forming a seat, and having an outwardly extending fiange adapted to contact the wall-terminal of the socket; a conducting compression spring encircling said stem and resting in said seat; and a conducting support member forming a seat for the outer end of said spring, said member being connected to the stem and provided with connecting means for mounting on the handle member.

18. A cigar lighter including avtubular socket member adapted to extend through a perforated panel to form one electrical terminal for a plug member and having a base contact member insulated therefrom; and a plug removably held within said socket including a handle adapted to be fully inserted into the socket, an insulating sleeve threaded to said handle, a support member threaded to the front end of said sleeve, a heater unit secured to said support member, a

air-neon positioning ring having a flange for engaging said socket member to limit its forward travel and movable lengthwise relatively to said sleeve and support member, and a spring in front of said handle engaging said ring and urging the rest of the plug rearwardly in said socket, said plug contacting said base contact member as it is pushed forward against the tension of said spring.

19. In a cigar lighter having a metal tubular socket, a plug comprising: a handle; a hollow sleeve of insulating material secured to the front of said handle and adapted to be inserted into said socket; a support member threaded to the inner front end of said sleeve and including a rim and a hub connected together by spokes; an ignition unit secured rigidly to said hub; a slide ring carried by said sleeve so as to serve as a guide for the plug, said ring having an internally directed front flange moveable towards and away from said ignition unit; and a spring in front of said handle engaging said flange so as to urge the ring forwardly, said rim, flange and ignition unit being of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of said socket to permit the plug to be slid into 'the socket. l

JOHN SINKO.

, CERMFICATE 0F CORRECTION., Patent No., 2,111,502 March' 15, 1958 JOHN simio? It is hereby certified. that erro? appears in the prned.' specification of the above numbered patent :ce qurng connection as follows: Page LL, second column, Vlinee 7l, "(2, T5 and TIL 'Ll'lcl'uls:fveD claim 189 for The words. "within said socket including a handle adapted to be fully inserted into the sockel: an insulating sleeve threadediso sadhandle 9 a support vmember Feed within said socket lncludng e.I handle en insulta-', ing sleeve tbreadedjbo said handle and adapted to be fully inserted into che socket, a support member; and

that 'the ead Letters Patent should'be read with this correction therein that the same may conform 'Bo the record o1" the case the Patent Offce Signed and sealed this 15th day of September? A; Do 1958.,

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of' Patenteo cEBTEICATE oF CORRECTION.' Patent No., 21115o2 March' 15 195e,

JOHN simio,

It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent r'e quiring correction as follows: Page Li, second column, lines Tl, '7.2, 75 and 74h, inclusive, claim 18, for the words- Wwithin seid socket including a handle adapted to be fully inserted into the socket,

an insulating sleeve tlmceededtol saidhendle e support Amemberuw read within said Vsocket includingehend1e,en insulat ing .sleeve threadedto said handle and adapted to be fully yinsercted into the socket, a support member; end

that the eaid Letters Patent ehouldbe'read with this correction therein that the seme may conform to the record oi the case in' the Petent'4 Office.

Signed and s'ealedthis 15th day of September'y-L, D., 1958..

Hen-ry Van Arsdale (Seal) y Acting Commissioner oi Patentedu 

